What are the strengths of Houdini? How can it collaborate with other apps (Wings, Blender)?

chrisWhite

05-01-2003, 10:03 PM

I'm not a Houdini user, but here's what I've heard, the biggest thing is that it's supposed to have the best particle systems in the industry, I think Digital Domain uses it for that. It's a pro app (IE: Not free) unlike Blender or Wings.

Here's the web-site for it:

http://www.sidefx.com/

They do have a free version like Maya's PLE, also 3DBuzz is offering a free course in it here:

http://www.3dbuzz.com/

dantea

05-02-2003, 03:54 AM

Houdini can import wavefront .obj files so I think that will be the primary interface if you want to model in Wings or Blender. If you do though, you're really missing out on the whole procedural nature of Houdini. Jason Busby has some create video tutorials in the (free!) Houdini online class at http://www.3dbuzz.com .

Houdini's free version, Houdini Apprentice, came out after the PLE and was much copied when XSI Experience came out. Things are coming along nicely as their "early access program" has been giving everyone a look at Houdini 6 for weeks now
at: http://www.sidefx.com/news/early_access/index.html

Basically:
- save to a non-commercial format (which can be converted into commercial upon purchase ... modeller starts at 1299)
- renders are limited to 640x480 via vmantra (the renderer that was used for around 96% of effects Digital Domain did for the Time Machine .. see thread here: http://odforce.net/forum/index.php?act=ST&f=15&t=864&st=10)
- an example of the watermark is here:
http://sv1.3dbuzz.com/vbforum/attachment.php?s=&postid=184427

- Rather than repeat everything again, you can read about it in detail here:
http://www.sidefx.com/products/apprentice/index.html